Tory rebels (Bracknell Liberal Democrats)

Bracknell Liberal Democrats <info@bracknelllibdems.org.uk>

Tory rebels

January 16, 2012 11:29 AM

In the absence of an effective opposition, it would seem the ruling Conservative group on Bracknell Forest Council has taken to falling out within itself. The suspension of three long-standing members of the group for failing to support the party line on future housing planning policy (Standard, 5 Jan) was the first public sign of any disaffection within the group since it won control of the council under Cllr Bettison's leadership in 1998.

Cllr Bettison has presided over the abandonment of weekly bin collections, the selling off of the council's housing stock for virtually nothing, the closure of much-needed day centres for the elderly, the loss of £5m in two Icelandic banks, an almost complete standstill on progress towards a hospital for Bracknell, the regeneration of the town centre, or even settling the future of the 3M building.

At the same time council staff numbers have increased dramatically, services have been drastically reduced and council tax has more than doubled. Members' allowances have soared!

Hopefully, residents will draw some comfort from the disarray that their vigorous planning development campaigns have caused within the Conservative group. The group enjoys a massive majority (based largely on minority turnouts of less than one-third) and has generally ignored public opinion in the past. The proposed closure of Ladybank Older Persons' Home will provide another very important test of whether they intend to do so again.

Ray Earwicker

Bracknell Liberal Democrats